Visualizing Research in Virtual Reality and

Non-Linear Holographic Rhizomes

Dwight Toavs and Paulette RobinsonInformation Resources Management College

National Defense University

2

Introduction

Both wanted to…• Wanted to do something different.• Use Multimedia approaches• Media and research challenges:

– Policy World: a dynamic multifaceted environment where context and time are key elements.

– Within the Matrix: capture experience more wholistically

Policy World

Dissertation

Pixelating Policy:Visualizing Issue Transformation

in Real and Virtual Worlds

Part II - Demonstrations

4ETD http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12222004-094635/

Retrospective Sensemaking

• Why?– Can one create a VR-based policy visualization?– Use information technology to teach policy

• What can a policy visualization reveal?– Context, complexity, and dynamics– Role of time in policymaking– Importance of policy history & learning– Inadequacy of a popular policy framework

5

““Pixelating Policy” is a metaphorical reference to a Pixelating Policy” is a metaphorical reference to a digital imaging technique, in which a portion of a digital imaging technique, in which a portion of a digital image is progressively magnified until the digital image is progressively magnified until the individual pixels (or picture elements), the basic individual pixels (or picture elements), the basic elements of a digital image, can be seen. elements of a digital image, can be seen.

Policy World uses the basic elements of graphics – Policy World uses the basic elements of graphics – graphic primitives – to represent the basic graphic primitives – to represent the basic elements of public policy.elements of public policy.

This research examined the basic elements This research examined the basic elements of public policy to understand how issues are of public policy to understand how issues are

transformed over time.transformed over time.

This research examined the basic elements This research examined the basic elements of public policy to understand how issues are of public policy to understand how issues are

transformed over time.transformed over time.

Pixelating Policy – A Metaphor

6

Project Scope

• Research Question: How were the paperwork concerns of 1975 transformed into the e-government concerns of 2002?

• Theory Questions: – Do issues transform? If so, . . .– Can issue transformation be identified? If so, . . .– Is there a relationship between issue

transformation and policy change? If so, . . .– What is that relationship?

7

Research Approach

• Case study: Federal IRM policies from 1975 – 2002• Primary Sources: Congressional hearings on IRM issues

• Issues: Were relevant before 1975; are still relevant – Paperwork Reduction– Privacy– IT Acquisition– Management Reform– Records and Information– Computer Security

• Content Analysis: Witness testimony coded to identify: values, issue definition(s), and affiliation

8

RELATIVELY STABLESYSTEM PARAMETERS

1) Basic attributes of the problem area (good)

2) Basic distribution of natural resources

3) Fundamental socio-cultural values and social structure

4) Basic constitutional structure (rules)

EXTERNAL (SYSTEM) EVENTS

1) Changes in socio-economic conditions

2) Changes in public opinion

3) Changes in systemic governing coalition

4) Policy decisions and impacts from other subsystems

Constraints

and

Resources

of

Subsystem

Actors

POLICY SUBSYSTEM

Coalition A Policy Brokers Coalition B

a) Policy Beliefs a) Policy Beliefs

b) Resources b) Resources

Strategy A 1 Strategy B 1

re guidance re guidance

instruments instruments

Decisions by

Governmental Authorities

Institutional Rules, Resource Allocations, and Appointments

Policy Outputs

Policy Impacts

11

22

33

ACF ComponentsACF Components and interactions and interactions

1 – The Policy 1 – The Policy SubsystemSubsystem

2 – Stable System2 – Stable SystemParametersParameters

3 – External 3 – External Dynamic EventsDynamic Events

4 – Policy World 4 – Policy World VisualizationVisualization

Advocacy Coalition Framework

Within the Matrix: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological

Investigation of Student Experiences

in Web-based Computer Conferencing

Part II - Demonstrations

10

Creating a Web Space What possibilities could a web space

uniquely offer to the representation of

scholarly writing and qualitative

research?

What would you have to take into

consideration in creating such a

space?

11

Creating a Webbed Space

Assumptions Hermeneutics of Web Writing Criteria for Evaluation File Organization Navigation Orientation and Indexing The Collective

12

Navigation

Menu Levels Icons Image Maps

13

Navigation

Menu Levels Icons Image Maps

14

Orientation & Indexing

Orientation Image Maps Information Box Index

15

Evaluation Criteria

Hermeneutic Phenomenology Content Interactive Structure Interface Design Hyper-linking Multimedia

16

Hermeneutic Phenomenology

Turning to the phenomenon. Investigating experience as we live it. Reflecting on the essential themes. Describing the phenomenon through

writing and rewriting. Orientated pedagogical relation. Balancing parts and whole. (van Manen,

1995)

17

Content

The content is accurately represented in the combination of text, multimedia, and hypertext.

18

Interactive Structure

Reader is free to “chart alternative courses through the word mass [I] fabricate”

(Taylor & Saarinen, 1994, p. 13). The path choice is clear for the user. The interactive structure is used to pace

the reader.

19

Interface Design

Visually coherent. Textual & visual elements blend. “The work is riddled with gaps, spaces and

openings that invite the reader to write” (Taylor & Saarinen).

Navigational conventions are easy to understand.

Reader has a sense of location. Navigational system supports overall work. Each screen follows basic graphic design

principles.

20

Hyper-linking

• Links within the “text” are well placed and connected.

• Text is presented in the first four levels in manageable chunks and linked to other chunks.

21

Multimedia

• Text is expressed as media through the use of font, placement, and size.

• Media is used to express ideas better than in words.

• Supports and adds to the understanding of the theme.

• Thoughtfully used to enhance a particular theme.

• Used to add novelty to representation of the content.

22

The Collaborative Process

23

HyperNews Collaborative Space

24

Comparisons and Contributions

Part IIIRole of Time

ContextPerspective

Creative ProcessContributions

26

Time

Dwight• Time is the primary

constant in policy activities• Time helps structure

dynamic and complex activities

• Time, rather than policy frameworks, is linear

• All policy activity is time-dependent

Paulette• Capture immediacy in

experience• Deconstruct time to spatial

rather than sequential (navigation)

• Context of screen time• Pausing and pacing time

through animation

27

Context

Dwight• Policy World visualizes the

policy context• In representing complexity,

policy theory, policy issues, and policy change are simultaneously and visually deconstructed

• Context is represented by using graphic primitives, color, and movement

Paulette• Spatial/holographic• Shapes as representative

(lines, circles, squares)• Images as containers for

meaning• Navigation

28

Perspective

Dwight• Perspective is provided

by point of view (POV) • POV can be altered by

the viewer while constructing meaning

• POV can be from an internal or an external perspective

Paulette• Reader chooses

preferences of perspective

• Reader created the experience every time

• If it had been possible, the reader becomes the writer

29

Creative Process

Dwight• No previous models• What is represented?

– Theory– Evidence– Possibilities

• How do you bring content into a virtual world?– Visuals– Auxiliary html pages

• Representation

Paulette• Ah-hah moment• Drudging through the

system• Making the image real• Iterative

30

Contributions

Dwight• First policy oriented VR

world• Visualized context and

dynamics of policy and institutional process

• Discovery-based learning approach to public policy, IRM, and eGovernment

Paulette• Creating a multifaceted

experience through representing it in graphics—web hermeneutic

• Spatial design/navigation

• First of its kind

31

Questions and Discussion

• Paulette Robinson – robinsonr@ndu.edu– http://www.otal.umd.edu/~paulette/Dissertation

• Dwight Toavs – toavs@ndu.edu– ETD http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12222004-094635/